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The Calendar, July 18-31, 1986

txsau_ms00394_00014 1

------------------------------------THE--------------------------------------
CAL. f,'NDAR
July 18
Task Force Blasts Justice Dept.
WASHINGTON. D.C. - The National Gay and
lesbian Task Force denounced as "bad low
and bad public health policy" the U.S. Justice
Department's ruling that limits federal protec­tion
against discrimination based on AIDS.
In a highly controversial legal opinion
released on June 23rd. the Justice Depart­ment
declared that while AIDS is a disability.
federal employment protections against dis­crimination
based on disability could be
waived if an employer was concemed about
the spread of AIDS in the workplace. The U.S.
Public Health Service has stated repeated~
that AIDS is not transmitted through casual
contact. such as in 504 of the 1973 Rehabilita­tion
Act and covers federal employees and
those working at institutions receiving federal
funds.
Declared Jeffrey levi. NGLTF Executive
Director. "this ruling perpetuates false and
irrational concerns about the casual conta­gion
of AIDS- placing the views of .unnamed
noo-experts above the scientifically based
conclusions of the Public Health Service. The
entire ruling is predicated on the notion that
AIDS can be casually transmitted. and thus
should be rejected out of hand."
levi further.warned that the Justic Depart­ment
offered no pretections at all to thoSe
who hove ARC or H1L V-III infection. "The fede­ral
government is saying. in effect. that peo­ple
who are in a risk group or are HTl V-III posi­tive
have no federal civil rights protections"
even though numerous state lows forbidding
discrimination based on disability or handi­cap
have been interpreted to protect all
Court Upholds·
Refuses To Hear Texas
Case
SAN ANTONIO - In a r:1arrow. bitterly divided
5-4 ruling on June 30. the U.S. Supreme Court
upheld the Georgia law that criminalizes
sodomy between both homosexual and het­erosexual
consenting adults.
The appeal of the Georgia statute was filed
by Michael Hardwick. who was arrested when
a police officer entered his home to serve a
warrant and saw Hardwick engaged in sex
with another man through the partially open
door to the bedroom.
Although he was never prosecuted. Hard­wick
maintained that sodomy laws were an
Movies - "Ruthless People" ........ Page 3
Newsllne .......................... Page 4
A Quickie Quiz .................... Page 5
Sound Off ......................... Page 6
Mandala of Love .................. Page 7
Sports ............................. Page 8
lole's Space ....................... Page 8
At Work ........................... Page 8
Fortunes By Tycho ................... Page9
Interview - Krandall Krauss ......... Page 9
NEW FEATURE COLUMN
Shopping With Sissy ............... Page 10
those perceived to be disabled. "The Justice
Department seems so frightened of extend­ing
protections because they might indirectly
protect gays. that it has ignored both the let­ter
and spirit of the low." levi said.
"One of our worst fears associated with test­ing,"
levi continued. "has come true: that an
agency of government would
employers hove the right to
based solely positive
underscores
tiality in any nn1~ihrvid
that means only nhnn•.nnn.
legal guarantees
NGlTF
ing the n.:.nno-t,..,jbnt
Services
lows
fully
nation. All
tionol avenue
the end of the battle at all. localnrnnnl·•,..
tions should make sure that their
agencies hold to the correct int4arpretc:Jtk
that AIDS Is indeed a disability
risk to AIDS are also· protected
crimination."
invasion of privacy.
The Supreme Court disagreed. Ignoring
the fact ~theiONbonnedoroloranolcon­toct
by legally married couples as well as gay
men and women. Justice Byron White said
that the Constitution implies no "fundamen­tal
right to engage in homosexual sodomy."
The court also noted that states have prohibit­ed
some forms of sexual contact since colo­nial
times and compared homosexual con­duct
to "adultery. incest and other sexual
crimes ...... committed in the home."
Justice Harry Blackmun. in a dissenting o­pinion.
wrote that the Court should not per­mit
"invading the houses. hearts and mindS of
citizens who chose to live their lives different­ly."
Blackmun was also concerned about the
majority's "almost obsessive focus on homo­sexual
activity" without considering that most
of the sodomy lows in 25 states also prohibit
heterosexual sodomy.
Hilda and Sheryl held their "Holy
Union" Saturday, June 28 at the Metro­politan
Community Center. Rev. Jim
L~ presided over the ceremony.
They were joined by a few close relatives
and several of their friends. The cer•
mony was followed by a reception at
the MCC Fellowship Hall.
• July 31 \5 <g lo
Court Refuses 21.06 Appeal
Texas Leaders VfNI to Fight Discrimination
by John 8. Valentine
SAN ANTONIO- The fight against 21.06 will
shift to the state legislature according to
Steve Paricer. South Texas Coordinator for the
Human Rights Foundation (THRF). Now
U.S. Supreme Court has turned doNn
oftklker vs Wade. the struggle a­begin
a-was
unable to provide a complete
at press time. "I just sent the last
two months to the CPA'' Peoples told THE
CALENDAR. "'f wilt be a couple d weeks be­fore
we know what's left." he continued.
Tom Coleman. in THRF's Houston office. said
there should be "something left CNer. '
Both Peoples and Coleman indicated that
they were unsure as to what direction THRF
would move now that the 21.06 fight had ex-housted
all appeals in the Federal courts.
'We're working on legal protection for Per­sons
With AIDS (FWA's)." Coleman said. In
Houston THRF is working with the American
Civil liberties Union (AClU) on a pilot project
to compile a lego~ handbook for FWA's and
training for lawyers handling AID5-related
cases.
1n Dallas. THRF is planning a meeting with
The Dallas Gay Alliance to examine areas
that THRF could be effective in. "Irs too early
to decide exactly what's to be done." lee Taft.
THRF President. said.
Taft continued. "The THRF Boord of Directors
is meeting on July 26. A lot will be discussed
and some decisions will be made at that
time."
"It's important that Texas gays not view this
(the SUpreme Court decision) as a final de­feat.
If anything. we need to become-more
active." he admonished.
Nationally. a meeting is scheduled in New
York City on July 18-19. for people involved in
human rights groups. • A lot of ideas will be ex­changed
there." Taft said.
"THRF is committed to fighting discrimina­tion,
and AIDS discrimination is an issue we
will be looking at."
Another gay rights group, lesbian/Gay
Rights Advocates (lGRA) will be monitoring
the Texas legislature. "Our immediate objec­tive
is to prevent any expansion of 21.06. rm
SUI& attempts will be made to broaden the
scope or 1d enforcement" of the "sodomy
law". said Glenn Maxey in a phone interview
from his Austin office.
In February LGRA hired Dr. Pat Cole to be a
lobbyist on behalf of gay rights during the in­terim
o! the legislature.
THIS IS NOT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
by John B. Valentine
Since this publication has begun offering freH personal ads to our readers. I have become an
ad-oholic. reading the personal ads 1n all the other gay papers we receive from across the
country. I have subscribed to THE ADVOCATE tor a number of years and the "pink pages" is one
of the first places I turn to as soon as the tasteful grey envelope is crudely stuffed into my mailbox
by Mongo the Mailman.
By my calculations. 92% of all personals that state an age preference use the figure 18-30
years old. It's as if anyone over the magic three-oh were considered inferior merchandise- kind
of like factory seconds that contain a hidden flaw that make us unfit for human consumption
Sure. there are a few folks out there looking for "daddy". If I wanted to be a daddy I would hove
made a baby. No. thanks. kiddies. find someone else to be your surrogate father
My point is that in our youth-and-beauty-oriented gay society, we hove lost sight of the tre­mendous
contribution that older gays have made and ore still able to make on a public and
private level.
let's talk at the obvious advantages that we of the "No Longer Chicken But Not Dead Yet
Club" have to offer.
Experience- Life is a learning experience. and the ability to deal with day-to-day existence 1s
directly proportional to the number of days spent doing it. This is not only in the sack (although
my theory certainly applies to bedroom gymnastics). but also to all the mundance things
necessary for survival on the planet.
Patience- We're done almost everything in getting all that valuable experience. so we aren't
chompin' at the bit to experience what it is that We're experienced in.
Perseverence -While patiently gaining experience we've learned to "hang in there. baby."
Most younger folks are too anxious tor immediate results.
Personality- While hanging in there. we have discovered who we are. We aren't still trying to
figure out where we belong in society. but have learned where we fit in best.
So before you write off all the older men as Grandpa Waltons waiting for the grim reaper. stop
a minute and consider all the obvious advantages there are to relating to a genuine war baby.
After all - even John-Boy will be a Grandpa Walton someday.

------------------------------------THE--------------------------------------
CAL. f,'NDAR
July 18
Task Force Blasts Justice Dept.
WASHINGTON. D.C. - The National Gay and
lesbian Task Force denounced as "bad low
and bad public health policy" the U.S. Justice
Department's ruling that limits federal protec­tion
against discrimination based on AIDS.
In a highly controversial legal opinion
released on June 23rd. the Justice Depart­ment
declared that while AIDS is a disability.
federal employment protections against dis­crimination
based on disability could be
waived if an employer was concemed about
the spread of AIDS in the workplace. The U.S.
Public Health Service has stated repeated~
that AIDS is not transmitted through casual
contact. such as in 504 of the 1973 Rehabilita­tion
Act and covers federal employees and
those working at institutions receiving federal
funds.
Declared Jeffrey levi. NGLTF Executive
Director. "this ruling perpetuates false and
irrational concerns about the casual conta­gion
of AIDS- placing the views of .unnamed
noo-experts above the scientifically based
conclusions of the Public Health Service. The
entire ruling is predicated on the notion that
AIDS can be casually transmitted. and thus
should be rejected out of hand."
levi further.warned that the Justic Depart­ment
offered no pretections at all to thoSe
who hove ARC or H1L V-III infection. "The fede­ral
government is saying. in effect. that peo­ple
who are in a risk group or are HTl V-III posi­tive
have no federal civil rights protections"
even though numerous state lows forbidding
discrimination based on disability or handi­cap
have been interpreted to protect all
Court Upholds·
Refuses To Hear Texas
Case
SAN ANTONIO - In a r:1arrow. bitterly divided
5-4 ruling on June 30. the U.S. Supreme Court
upheld the Georgia law that criminalizes
sodomy between both homosexual and het­erosexual
consenting adults.
The appeal of the Georgia statute was filed
by Michael Hardwick. who was arrested when
a police officer entered his home to serve a
warrant and saw Hardwick engaged in sex
with another man through the partially open
door to the bedroom.
Although he was never prosecuted. Hard­wick
maintained that sodomy laws were an
Movies - "Ruthless People" ........ Page 3
Newsllne .......................... Page 4
A Quickie Quiz .................... Page 5
Sound Off ......................... Page 6
Mandala of Love .................. Page 7
Sports ............................. Page 8
lole's Space ....................... Page 8
At Work ........................... Page 8
Fortunes By Tycho ................... Page9
Interview - Krandall Krauss ......... Page 9
NEW FEATURE COLUMN
Shopping With Sissy ............... Page 10
those perceived to be disabled. "The Justice
Department seems so frightened of extend­ing
protections because they might indirectly
protect gays. that it has ignored both the let­ter
and spirit of the low." levi said.
"One of our worst fears associated with test­ing,"
levi continued. "has come true: that an
agency of government would
employers hove the right to
based solely positive
underscores
tiality in any nn1~ihrvid
that means only nhnn•.nnn.
legal guarantees
NGlTF
ing the n.:.nno-t,..,jbnt
Services
lows
fully
nation. All
tionol avenue
the end of the battle at all. localnrnnnl·•,..
tions should make sure that their
agencies hold to the correct int4arpretc:Jtk
that AIDS Is indeed a disability
risk to AIDS are also· protected
crimination."
invasion of privacy.
The Supreme Court disagreed. Ignoring
the fact ~theiONbonnedoroloranolcon­toct
by legally married couples as well as gay
men and women. Justice Byron White said
that the Constitution implies no "fundamen­tal
right to engage in homosexual sodomy."
The court also noted that states have prohibit­ed
some forms of sexual contact since colo­nial
times and compared homosexual con­duct
to "adultery. incest and other sexual
crimes ...... committed in the home."
Justice Harry Blackmun. in a dissenting o­pinion.
wrote that the Court should not per­mit
"invading the houses. hearts and mindS of
citizens who chose to live their lives different­ly."
Blackmun was also concerned about the
majority's "almost obsessive focus on homo­sexual
activity" without considering that most
of the sodomy lows in 25 states also prohibit
heterosexual sodomy.
Hilda and Sheryl held their "Holy
Union" Saturday, June 28 at the Metro­politan
Community Center. Rev. Jim
L~ presided over the ceremony.
They were joined by a few close relatives
and several of their friends. The cer•
mony was followed by a reception at
the MCC Fellowship Hall.
• July 31 \5